HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2006.088211v1 97/1/52    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (13) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Williams, D. R. Articles by Jackson, J. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Williams, D. R. Articles by Jackson, J. S. Related Collections Epidemiology Mental Health African Americans/Blacks Other Race/Ethnicity Immigration Surveys

David R. Williams, PhD, Rahwa Haile, MA, Hector M. González, PhD, Harold Neighbors, PhD, Raymond Baser, MS and James S. Jackson, PhD

At the time of the study, David R. Williams was with the Departments of Sociology and Epidemiology and the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Rahwa Haile and Harold Neighbors are with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Hector M. González is with the Institute of Gerontology and Department of Family Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich. Raymond Baser is with the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. James S. Jackson is with the Institute for Social Research and Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to David R. Williams, PhD, School of Public Health, Harvard University, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115 (e-mail: dwilliam{at}hsph.harvard.edu).

ABSTRACT

Objectives. We examined the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among Black Caribbean immigrant ("Caribbean Black") and African American populations and the correlates of psychiatric disorders among the Caribbean Black population.

Methods. We conducted descriptive and age-adjusted analyses of the data from the National Survey of American Life—an in-person household mental health survey of noninstitutionalized US Blacks. We assessed psychiatric disorders as defined by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.

Results. Compared with African American men, Caribbean Black men had higher risks for 12-month rates of psychiatric disorders. Caribbean Black women had lower odds for 12-month and lifetime psychiatric disorders compared with African American women. Risks varied by ethnicity, immigration history, and generation status within the Caribbean sample. First-generation Caribbean Blacks had lower rates of psychiatric disorders compared with second- or third-generation Caribbean Blacks, and, compared with first-generation Carribbean Blacks, third-generation Caribbean Blacks had markedly elevated rates of psychiatric disorders.

Conclusions. Mental health risks were associated with ethnic diversity within the US Black population. Increased exposure to minority status in the United States was associated with higher risks for psychiatric disorders among Black Caribbean immigrants, which possibly reflects increased societal stress and downward social mobility associated with being Black in America.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. R. Snowden, J. F. Hastings, and J. Alvidrez Overrepresentation of Black Americans in Psychiatric Inpatient Care Psychiatr Serv, June 1, 2009; 60(6): 779 - 785. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Miranda, T. G. McGuire, D. R. Williams, and P. Wang Mental Health in the Context of Health Disparities Am J Psychiatry, September 1, 2008; 165(9): 1102 - 1108. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. C. Gwynn, H. L. McQuistion, K. H. McVeigh, R. K. Garg, T. R. Frieden, and L. E. Thorpe Prevalence, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder in a Diverse Urban Community Psychiatr Serv, June 1, 2008; 59(6): 641 - 647. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. M. Mehta, K. Yaffe, E. J. Perez-Stable, A. Stewart, D. Barnes, B. F. Kurland, and B. L. Miller Race/ethnic differences in AD survival in US Alzheimer's Disease Centers Neurology, April 1, 2008; 70(14): 1163 - 1170. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. R Williams and T. R Earl Commentary: Race and mental health more questions than answers Int. J. Epidemiol., August 1, 2007; 36(4): 758 - 760. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. S. Jackson, H. W. Neighbors, M. Torres, L. A. Martin, D. R. Williams, and R. Baser Use of Mental Health Services and Subjective Satisfaction With Treatment Among Black Caribbean Immigrants: Results From the National Survey of American Life Am J Public Health, January 1, 2007; 97(1): 60 - 67. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]